Migrant smugglers now face prison terms of two to six years under
Costa Rica's new immigration law, which was recently approved by
the National Assembly and signed by President Oscar Arias.

The IOM Regional Office in San José, acting on a request
from the Costa Rican Government, provided technical expertise to
legislators, including support on issues related to the protection
of migrants, migration management, human trafficking and migrant
smuggling.  Several of IOM's specific recommendations related
to migrant smuggling and human trafficking were integrated into the
final text.

The new law, which takes effect in February 2010, now defines
and recognizes migrant smuggling and human trafficking as two
separate but inter-connected crimes.

Although there are no official figures, there is confirmed
evidence that smuggling and trafficking take place in Costa
Rica. 

Smugglers are using Costa Rica as a stepping stone for their
human cargo.  In June, the local media reported that 33
African migrants were abandoned by their smugglers in Puerto
Limón on the Atlantic coast. They were picked up by the
authorities, taken into custody and deported a few weeks later. The
migrants said they had been deceived by the smuggling network that
charged each of them USD 7,000 for transportation all the way to
Canada.

Also in June, local and Mexican media reported on the case of
two Costa Rican women victims of human trafficking who were found
in Mexico.  They were taken by the traffickers to Mexico for
forced sexual exploitation.  They managed to escape and filed
charges against the leaders of the group.

As part of the Counter-Trafficking National Coalition, IOM
proposed the addition of a special migratory status to provide
victims of trafficking with added protection and a temporary stay
while the judicial process against the traffickers is underway, and
to help them in their recovery process.

IOM studies have confirmed that Costa Rica is country of origin,
transit and destination for human trafficking, and that adult women
are most affected and at risk of being trafficked inside the
country and abroad.  Women, as well as minors, are trafficked
inside Costa Rica to feed the ever-growing demand for sexual
exploitation, which includes sex tourism.

The Central American Council of Women Ministries (COMMCA) also
confirms that female victims of trafficking are brought into Costa
Rica from Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Peru for
sexual exploitation, forced labour to work in the maquilas
(assembly plants), and for domestic work.

For more information, please contact:

Ana Beatriz Fernández

IOM San José

Tel: +506.222.15348, ext. 136

E-mail: "mailto:afernandez@iom.int">afernandez@iom.int